John Vincent Bellezza / Profile

Professionally, I am focused on Tibet in the period before Buddhism transformed its cultural make-up. Using archaeological, textual and ethnographic methodlogies, my aim is to present a fuller picture of ancient Tibet, a most intriguing time and place, and one with surprising implications for the development of Metal Age civilization in Eurasia. I continue to conduct extensive fieldwork in the uppermost reaches of the Tibetan Plateau, documenting a variety of ancient monuments, rock art and artifacts. As for my philological work, I am increasingly involved in deciphering Old Tibetan, especially in the ritual and mythic context.